The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is reportedly planning to deduct ₹2 crore each from the annual retainers of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. The move comes as part of the board’s routine review of central contracts ahead of the new financial year. Both players currently hold A+ grade contracts, which offer an annual retainer of ₹7 crore, the highest in the BCCI pay structure.
The BCCI classifies its contracted players into four categories — A+, A, B, and C — with retainers ranging from ₹7 crore for A+ players down to smaller amounts for the lower grades. These grades are primarily determined based on players’ participation across formats (Tests, ODIs, T20Is), performance, and overall contribution to the national team. A+ contracts are typically reserved for players who are active and regularly available in all three formats.
Kohli and Rohit have recently scaled back their commitments in certain formats. Kohli has already stepped away from T20 internationals, while Rohit has reduced his workload as well. Their involvement is now largely restricted to ODIs, which makes it challenging to justify retaining them in the A+ grade. Consequently, the BCCI is likely to demote them to A grade, which carries an annual retainer of ₹5 crore. This would result in a direct reduction of ₹2 crore from each of their salaries.
The final decision on the contract revisions is expected to be formalized at the next BCCI Annual General Meeting (AGM), where the board will review the status of all central contracts. Younger players like Shubman Gill are expected to be promoted to A+ grade in recognition of their multi-format involvement and rising importance in the team.
This proposed deduction underscores the BCCI’s approach to aligning player retainers with active participation and availability rather than legacy or past achievements. By linking salaries more closely to current contributions, the board aims to reward sustained, all-format commitment to the Indian cricket team.
